Southeast Australia records wetter-than-average autumn
Most of southeast Australia has recorded a wetter-than-average autumn with some centres receiving almost three times their normal rain. See the figures here.
SOUTHEAST Australia has recorded a wetter-than-average autumn with some centres receiving almost three times their normal rain.
An analysis of 33 weather stations in Victoria and southern NSW showed all but one – Portland in southwest Victoria – recorded an average or wetter-than-average March to May period with eight notching up more than double their normal autumn totals. This was despite a drier-than-average May across most districts.
Winter officially begins today with the Bureau of Meteorology pointing to a continuation of the wetter-than-average conditions, providing hope for a bumper winter crop.
The best autumn totals, compared to the long-term average, were in southern NSW and central and northern Victoria. Deniliquin recorded 208mm for the three months – representing 283 per cent of its average autumn total, ahead of Bendigo (233mm or 222 per cent of its average), Albury (282mm or 217 per cent) and Echuca (219mm or 212 per cent). Other centres to record more than twice their average autumn rain included Shepparton (209mm) and Narrandera (219mm) and Hay (189mm) in southern NSW. Melbourne Airport recorded 278mm during autumn.
The best rain in May was in southwest Victoria and the Western District with Warrnambool picking up 112mm for the month, ahead of Portland (107mm), Casterton (95mm), Hamilton (90mm) and Mortlake (88mm) and the Latrobe Valley (80mm).
Among the driest centres in May were Mildura (10mm), Birchip (11mm), Hopetoun (14mm), Ouyen (16mm) and Swan Hill (21mm). In southern NSW, Hay and Griffith each picked up just 12mm, with Hillston recording 11mm, Cooma 10mm and Bega 1mm.
Among the wettest centres in Victoria for the year-to-date are Lake Eildon, which recorded 440mm of rain for the first five months of 2020, followed by the Latrobe Valley (413mm), Yarram (350mm), Castlemaine and Redesdale (349mm), Benalla (347mm), Rutherglen (318mm), Sale (312mm) and Ballarat (310mm).
At the opposite end of the scale, Mildura has recorded 100mm of rain for the year, with Walpeup (114mm), Swan Hill (147mm), Warracknabeal (148mm), Ouyen (158mm), Stawell (171mm), and Longerenong (187mm).
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